Porsche 918: the Super car of the future

The Porsche 918 Spyder which debuted in 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show is the first in a new breed of super car. Deadly good looks, hybrid technology, and lightning fast performance means it’s worth a look here on Infinite Garage.

So why the Porsche 918 here on tech Tuesday? Well it’s all about tech using a standard 4.6L V8 to make 580hp, and then two electric motors that will produce 243 more horsepower.

On the tranmission side of things you will get Porsche’s 7 speed gear box mated to their PDK double clutch system making for seemless gear changes in both directions. The gas engine and one electric motor will drive the rear wheels while the front wheels get the sole duty of powering the front wheels. an electric clutch system is used to decouple the front motor when it is not in use. This whole package will make for a 200+ MPH top speed and a 0-60 time in under 3 seconds.
Charging is done with regenerative braking which is pretty standard kit now a days, but also extra output from the engine will be used to recharge the system when the car is just coasting. This makes for very little waste and an impressive fuel economy of 78mpg.

Porsche intends to make just 918 918 spyders starting late this year as a 2014 model. The price here in the US will probably be around a million dollars. We of course will keep you up to date if anything changes. What are your thoughts on all this hybrid tech making it’s way into sports and super cars?